Free Rider's Guide to Understanding Back Pain
Back pain doesn't have to be part of riding
Discover the seven most common reasons riders develop back pain and why the answer is often more than stretching your back or strengthening your core.
If riding leaves you with back pain, stiffness afterwards, or discomfort that keeps returning, this guide will help you understand why it may be happening and what you can do next.
Written by a Chartered Physiotherapist with 24 years' clinical experience and a special interest in rider health, this guide combines current evidence with practical experience to help you better understand your back pain.
Inside this guide you'll learn:
✔ Why riding places unique demands on your back
✔ The seven most common reasons riders develop back pain
✔ How your horse and your body work together as one movement system
✔ Why how you move can matter more than stretching or strengthening alone
✔ How current research is changing the way we understand rider back pain
Why I wrote this guide…
Over the years, I've worked with many riders who have simply accepted back pain as part of riding. Too often they're told to strengthen their core or stretch their back, without really understanding why the pain developed in the first place.
I wrote this guide to help riders better understand the many factors that can contribute to back pain, so they can make more informed decisions about their health and their riding.
I hope this guide helps you better understand why your back pain has developed and encourages you to think about it in a different way.
Joanna Smith MCSP
Chartered Physiotherapist
Fosse Physiotherapy & Pilates